Credit Card ***** Woolworths Style

I have a WW debit card. For many months I ran the card in significant credit. I presume this was the reason that WW called me and offered me WW credit card approx 1 year ago.

It was an unsolicited call, and a hard sell. I didn't want another CC. Eventually on the express understanding and guarantee of the CC salesperson that there would be NO CHARGES for 1 year, I accepted the card and it was couriered to me.

Still using the debit card, I was slow to go online to activate the CC, which I eventually did a few months later (I think between April and June sometime). I tried to use the CC at a WW but it didn't work. I called the WW FS call centre and spent 40+ minutes on a call during which time they were unable to verify my identity online and eventually the call dropped. No one tried to call back.

A couple of months later I thought I'd try again and again went online and followed the process to activate the card. Again I tried to use it at a WW branch and it didn't work.

Not being particularly invested in having or using the CC it wasn't I high priority for me to resolve.

Then I got an email from WW FS with an invoice for an activation fee on the CC. I called the call centre and spoke to someone - indicated the story above and they said they'd call me back. I heard nothing.

The next thing I heard from was from a debt collector who said they'd been tasked by WW to recover the debt. I told them the story above - the lines kept cutting off, someone would phone again from the debt collector, I'd return the call. Eventually someone told me to go into a branch to log a dispute.

I did this, the person at the branch said they had nothing to do with WW CCs, had never heard of lodging a dispute, and tried to help me call Head Office. The calls were dropped at least 5 times. The WW representative at the branch said that that is what always happens when they try to get through to HO.

I have now been advised that WW has notified the Credit Bureau and that my credit record has been negatively affected.

During the entire duration of this process I have been running a debit account with WW and paying - without fail - between R5 000 and R10 000 pr month.

Is this a reflection of how much WW care about their customers, SHEER INCOMPETENCE or what?

I would really appreciate a call from someone at WW with a proposition to resolve this.